Miss Wonderful: Carsington Brothers, Book 1

War hero Alistair Carsington really really loves women, and his romantic impulses have landed him in nearly as much danger as the Battle of Waterloo. To avoid his usual temptations and perhaps even repay the friend who saved his life, he's exiled himself to a place far from civilization - Derbyshire - in winter! Fate laughs at his good intentions and drives him straight into conflict with Miss Mirabel Oldridge, his match in tenacity, intelligence, and deviousness - who also happens to be wildly irresistible.

The Lion's Daughter

Gorgeous, stubborn Esme Brentmor, daughter of a disgraced lord, is used to a wild, dangerous life among the tribes of Albania, to whom her father is the legendary, controversial Red Lion whose death she's courageously vowed to avenge - even if it leads to her own. Instead, her quest finds her rescued by the most unlikely (and very reluctant) hero! Lazy and spoiled, Lord Varian St. George has gambled away his heritage and lives on his considerable looks, charm and wits.

Someone to Love: Westcott, Book 1

Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage in Bath knowing nothing of her family. Now she discovers that the late Earl of Riverdale was her father and that she has inherited his fortune. Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, keeps others at a distance. Yet something prompts him to aid Anna in her transition from orphan to lady. As London society and her newfound relatives threaten to overwhelm Anna, Avery steps in to rescue her....

Not Quite a Lady: Carsington Brothers Series

Darius Carsington is a spectacularly attractive rake, who's all brains and brawn...and no heart; a man who's equally expert at bedding loose-moraled women and writing scholarly papers. He finds society's "perfect darlings" exceedingly boring. Then why is he so intrigued by the supposedly faultless Lady Charlotte Hayward? Darius senses a crack under her polished surface - and finding it is a challenge he can't resist.

Scandal Wears Satin: Dressmakers, Book 2

A blue-eyed innocent on the outside and a shark on the inside, dressmaker Sophy Noirot could sell sand to Bedouins. Selling Maison Noirot's beautiful designs to aristocratic ladies is a little harder, especially since a recent family scandal has made an enemy of one of society's fashion leaders. Turning scandal to the shop's advantage requires every iota of Sophy's skills, leaving her little patience for a big, reckless rake like the Earl of Longmore.

The Duke and I: Bridgerton Family, Book 1

Simon Basset, the irresistible Duke of Hastings, has hatched a plan to keep himself free from marriage: he will pretend to be engaged to the lovely Daphne Bridgerton. After all, it isn't as if the brooding rogue has any real plans to marry.... Although, there is something about the alluring Miss Bridgerton that sets Simon's heart beating a bit faster. But Daphne soon finds herself forgetting that their courtship is a complete sham....

The Viscount Who Loved Me

This time the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry; he's also chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield: the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate's the woman haunting his dreams....

An Offer from a Gentleman

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball, or that 'Prince Charming' would be waiting there for her!Even though she's the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

The Rogue Not Taken

When Sophie, the least interesting of the Talbot sisters, lands her philandering brother-in-law backside-first in a goldfish pond in front of all society, she becomes the target of very public aristocratic scorn. Her only choice is to flee London, vowing to start a new life far from the aristocracy. Unfortunately, the carriage in which she stows away isn't saving her from ruin. It's filled with it.

Simply Unforgettable: The Simply Quartet, Book 1

Stranded together in a rustic country inn, Lucius Marshall, who is the Viscount Sinclair, and Frances Allard share a night of glorious, unforgettable passion. But Frances knows her place, and it is far from the privileged world of the sensual aristocrat. Due to begin her teaching position at Miss Martin's School in Bath, Frances must try to forget that one extraordinary night - and the man who touched her with such exquisite tenderness and abandon.

Heartless

Life has taught Lucas Kendrick, duke of Harndon, that a heart is a decided liability. Betrayed by his elder brother, rejected by his fiancée, banished by his father, and shunned by his mother, Luke fled to Paris, where he became the most sought-after bachelor in fashionable society. Ten years later fate has brought him back home to England as head of the family who rejected him. Unwilling as he is to be involved with them, he must assume responsibility for his younger siblings, the family estate he once loved - and the succession.

Viscount Vagabond: Regency Noblemen

Catherine Pelliston has just escaped a forced marriage to an obnoxious friend of her unreliable father; and now she's truly in the soup; kidnapped and helpless in a London brothel! And though she's been rescued by the very inebriated Max Demowery, Viscount Rand, she may be in even greater danger of falling in love with the shockingly outrageous, scandalously improper Viscount Vagabond!

Isabella: Trevelyan Family, Book 1

At the advanced age of 26, the independent, wealthy and imminently practical Isabella Latham has no expectation of marriage. But, good-hearted and dutiful, Isabella accompanies her two young country cousins to oversee their London debut...only to find that it's she who is attracting suitors...all of whom do seem to have quite an excess of creditors!

It's 1763. Career diplomat Alec Halsey returns to London and the shocking news his estranged elder brother, the Earl of Delvin, has not only killed his friend in a duel but become engaged to the woman he had hoped to marry. When Alec reluctantly attends a weekend house party to celebrate his brother's engagement he gets more than he bargained for when a lady's maid is murdered, the bride-to-be is attacked, and a guest is shot dead.

When the Duke Was Wicked: Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, Book 1

They are England's most eligible bachelors, with the most scandalous reputations. But for the right woman, even an unrepentant rogue may mend his ways...Lady Grace Mabry's ample inheritance has made it impossible for her to tell whether a suitor is in love with her...or enamored of her riches. Who better to distinguish beau from blackguard than her notorious childhood friend, the Duke of Lovingdon? With no interest in marriage, Lovingdon has long lived only for pleasure. He sees little harm in helping Grace find a proper match.

The Parfit Knight: Rockliffe Book 1

When the Marquis of Amberley's coach is waylaid by highwaymen and his coachman shot, he is forced to take shelter at the first house he finds and is subsequently trapped there for a week by a severe snowstorm. Oakleigh Manor is the home of Rosalind Vernon who lives alone but for her devoted servants and an ill-natured parrot, cut off from the outside world by the tragic result of a childhood accident.

The Lady by His Side: The Devil's Brood Trilogy, Book 1

Sebastian Cynster knows time is running out. If he doesn't choose a wife soon, his female relatives will line up to assist him. Yet the current debutantes do not appeal. Where is he to find the right lady to be his marchioness? Then Drake Varisey, eldest son of the Duke of Wolverstone, asks for Sebastian's aid.

Once Upon a Marquess: Worth Saga, Volume 1

The last man Judith Worth wants to see again is Christian Trent, the Marquess of Ashford - the man who spent summers at her family home, who kissed her one magical night...and then heartlessly ruined her father. But when a tricky business matter arises, he's the only one she can ask for help. With any luck, he'll engage a servant to take care of the matter, and she won't even have to talk with him.

The Proposal

Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Mary Balogh delights fans with historical romantic tales that touch the heart. After her husband dies in a freak accident, Lady Gwendoline Muir never dreams she'll love again. So when soldier-turned-nobleman Lord Hugo Trentham stirs feelings in her that have lain dormant for years, she can't help but imagine his strong embrace. Hugo finds himself drawn to Gwen, but he's never courted a woman before. Can he muster the right words to make Gwen open her heart and love once more?

Falling into Bed with a Duke

After six unsuccessful Seasons, Miss Minerva Dodger chooses spinsterhood over fortune-hungry suitors. But thanks to the Nightingale Club, she can at least enjoy one night of pleasure. At that notorious establishment, ladies don masks before choosing a lover. The sinfully handsome Duke of Ashebury is more than willing to satisfy the secretive lady's desires - and draws Minerva into an exquisite, increasingly intimate affair.

Noble Satyr: Roxton Family Saga, Book 1

1740s France and England. Abandoned to fend for herself at the court of Versailles, Antonia turns to her distant cousin, the all-powerful Duke of Roxton, to help her escape the attentions of a lecherous nobleman. Roxton is an unlikely savior - arrogant, promiscuous, and sinister. Antonia's unquestioning belief in him may just be his salvation, and her undoing.

A Night to Surrender: Spindle Cove, Book 1

Welcome to Spindle Cove, where the ladies with delicate constitutions come for the sea air, and men in their prime are..nowhere to be found. Or are they? Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: The painfully shy, young wives disenchanted with matrimony, and young girls too enchanted with the wrong men; it is a haven for those who live there. Victor Bramwell, the new Earl of Rycliff, knows he doesn't belong here.

Along Came a Duke: Rhymes with Love

Her Aunt Allegra said, "A young lady with a fortune is subject to all sorts of untoward attentions by the worst sort of vagrants." It is a lesson Tabitha Timmons, a penniless spinster, has never needed to heed. That is, until she is left a vast fortune payable only upon her marriage to the very respectable Mr. Barkworth - a match that offers little chance of discovering exactly what her aunt means by "untoward attentions." But the same can't be said when the Duke of Preston happens along Tabitha's path....

The Courtship: Windham Series, Book 0.5

Percival Windham is a second son and a cavalry officer acclaimed and respected by his men. He is immensely attractive and distracts himself with the women who seem to throw themselves at him at every turn. At a country house party, Percy meets beautiful, retiring Esther Himmelfarb. Esther's wealthier relations are taking shameless advantage of her dependence on them, and only Percy seems to see the striking intelligence beneath her modest demeanor.

Publisher's Summary

Peregrine Dalmay, Earl of Lisle, may have survived the deadly perils of Egypt, but back in Regency London, he faces the most dire threat yet: his irrational, emotional family...and the completely uncontrollable Miss Olivia Wingate-Carsington! Descended from a line of notorious - but very aristocratic - adventurers, Olivia has a long history of driving Peregrine to distraction, and her debut into polite society hasn't lessened her flair for drama, or her ability to drag him into her scandalous schemes. All Peregrine wants to do is escape back to his research and the lesser evils of poisonous snakes and tomb robbers, but his family has guilted him into an impossible mission in the Scottish wilds; and Olivia - who is keenly aware that a respectable future of marriage and rules and propriety looms - decides that accompanying him will be the perfect chance for one last adventure. Besides, she really only wants to help, which is why Lisle and Olivia find themselves in a gloomy Scottish castle inhabited by grumpy servants, spiteful ghosts, and craven murderers...and possibly the greatest peril of all: the wayward commands of their very unruly hearts!

I must have LOL'd twenty times while listening to this book. The Harpies were so funny. Loved Olivia and Perregrin (Lisle) when they were children in the other books so I was super excited to see them as the main characters in this book.

Olivia is a wonderful character. The interaction and dialogue between her and Lisle is some of the best ever. I just wish they would have become a "couple" sooner in the book, but you can't have everything.

Definitely credit worthy.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Hope

Colorado

05/02/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"My favorite contemporary regency author"

What did you love best about Last Night's Scandal?

The characters of Olivia Wingate Carsington and Percival, Lord Lisle first appeared as children in the earlier Carsington brothers book Lord Perfect. It is Olivia in that book who dragoons Lisle into a wild-goose chase adventure across England. She is a 'dreadful deLucey', an aristocratic family known for their ability to con their way through life. She is a thoroughly delightful zany character who carries a lot of that book and the 13 year old Lord Lisle is an excellent comrade, providing the brakes and the sanity while supporting and protecting the rather reckless Olivia.<br/><br/>In Last Night's Scandal, the two protagonists are now young adults. Lisle has spent his teen to adult years in Egypt, his passion, and the hero and heroine have mostly communicated through letters. In the printed book, Olivia has a way of over dramatizing everything, so her letters are full of all kinds of inappropriate capitalization; this is actually very funny in the book, but hard to convey when read, although Kate Reading does a very good job using phrasing and emphasis, but you still miss out on just a bit of Olivia's character, I think.<br/><br/>The two protagonists are thrown together by Lord Lisle being brought back to England by his parents and basically being prevented from returning to Egypt. Lisle's parents, who are a bit of a nightmare have decided that they want Lisle to go to Scotland and restore an old castle that belongs to the family. This sets up the plot; Olivia knows how much Lisle wants to be in Egypt and she sets out to 'help' him and save him from his parents. And things develop from there.<br/><br/>Loretta Chase is so very good at humorous romance; there is always wonderful dialogue between her characters and Olivia and Lisle rub each other wrong enough that there is plenty of scope for lots of laugh out loud arguments and minor skirmishes between them.<br/><br/>I loved these two characters as children, and it is very fun to watch them find each other as adults.

What other book might you compare Last Night's Scandal to and why?

I rarely find this kind of comparison useful; Loretta Chase's style is very much her own. She is the author of the extremely popular Lord of Scoundrels, which is definitely one of the best Regency Romances ever written. I would always recommend that anyone who has just read The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer to go and read other authors before coming back to other Georgette Heyer books. And if you've just read Lord of Scoundrels, please do go read other authors and genres before coming back to Loretta Chase. I have loved every single one of her books, but I find I don't appreciate each one as I might if I've just read my favorite right before.

What about Kate Reading’s performance did you like?

Kate Reading is an astoundingly good narrator. She does have some mild idiosyncrasies in her reading style, but her voices are so incredibly good that she fades right into the story. I can easily listen to her read books back to back which can be hard for me with some narrators whose style dominates the reading. And I have never heard her mispronounce a word! (She does use British pronunciations.)

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Loretta Chase writes fun books; I definitely smile a lot at the situations and dialogue.

Any additional comments?

I'd recommend reading the Carsington Brothers series in order. I think they're almost all on audio now. <br/>

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Allison

Montgomery, AL, United States

01/08/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Second half was very boring"

I loved the banter during the first half of this story and I thought I had found a new favorite. However, the second half was so boring!! I barely finished. The narrator was good, but I prefer a narrator to be age appropriate and not sound like a grandmother when narrating young characters. Her male voices were very good, though.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Barbara

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH, United States

13/02/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"What a fun read!"

The story is entertaining, the characters are hilarious and the reader brings it all together. Great book!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Cam

Las Vegas, NV, United States

21/02/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"A winner EVERY TIME"

Loretta chase's clever writing, humorous lines and engaging storyline is enough to be the best part of my day when I read. I adored this book and the characters. The hero takes a bit to grow on you but the heroine is a hoot. Clever and cunning to get what she wants but in a way not harmful to anyone and super cute. Can't wait to read another LC book. A true pleasure.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Cleve81

Cleveland Hts., OH United States

11/07/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Formulaic & not Author's best"

Compared with earlier entries in this series, this book scrapes the bottom. A few standard repeated plot line gimmicks & not inspired. Disappointing. Chase has produced far better books.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Maine Knitter

Central Maine, USA

28/03/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good but not my favorite"

This started out so well. I just love the correspondence between Olivia and Lisle and I have since they first met in an earlier book. Their characters are wonderful and their dialogue is delightful. I laughed aloud more than once. The story was good, not great. And the narration was a bit sub-par for me. The whining was a little too much. And I felt Olivia's "voice" was inconsistent.

But the series is fantastic and I hope there are many more books in this family's future.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Nancy N. Holland

16/08/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not that great"

The performance was less than good and the characters were very juvenile. The characters were manipulating and not the kind of morals or values I would prefer to read about.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Barbara

United States

14/03/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Consistently entertaining"

If you could sum up Last Night's Scandal in three words, what would they be?

I love all of the Carsington series books so much, that I have listened to them 2-3x just because the dialogue is so entertaining. You should read them in order, or at least read Lord Perfect before reading this one, so that you meet the characters as children.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

Huntsville, AL, United States

18/05/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"One of my favorite romances!"

Loretta Chase outdoes herself in an historical romp that sparkles with wit and humor! Olivia is a delightful heroine and her scenes with Lord Lyle are saucy and hilarious. The Carsington series is one of Ms Chase's finest, but this is, in my opinion, the crown jewel.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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